Eustache has had an excellent background in the field of non profit work and working for youth. One thing to be recognized is that she has not worked WITH the youth. This alone brought about a lot of the troubles that has been caused with Time Out. Anouther thing that should be recognized is that Eustache has had NO previous experience when working with an LGBT community. A lot of volunteers and other youth members are not even aware of this controversial situation that has been going on. Only a few determined and involved youth who are devoted to TOY have had these issues with Eustache, however, they are very true. The board is doing a full on investigation and speaking to several key people who are involved with Eustache that were volunteers, interns, or staff. And a lot of consistencies have been found about Eustache’s way of leadership that is not acceptable at TOY. The board can also partially be blamed for some of the problems that have been caused by Eustache for not setting her expectations correctly upon being hired. The youth who spoke out chose to remain Anonymous (as have I) because Eustache can have the potential to retaliate, not on a professional level, but personally she can. And when rationally thinking (or irrationally) from a personal youth’s opinion, Eustache would probably be best suited not to work for Time Out any longer.

However, distancing oneself from the place you work is a sign you shouldn’t be working there in the first place. At the very least she needs a heavy dose of education in LGBT issues.

The bottom line is – is she serving the LGBT youth that come in for help. If the people the organization serves don’t feel comfortable with her, then she should not be there. And if the board members can’t (or don’t want to) see past this, maybe they shouldn’t be on the board.

Qnotes has a disturbing cover story in the current edition. The leader of Time Out Youth (TOY) has been accused of being grossly insensitive and borderline bigoted toward group members. Mindboggling to me. The kid’s indentities were left out of the article for fear of retaliation from Janine Eustache, the current leader. Allegations include her prohibiting the word “gay” used around her children when they visit the office. Also, questioning whether these kids truly are LGBTQ and claims from others that she doesn’t tell anyone including friends and family where she works, allegedly because she is ashamed. Anectdotally, I attend many meetings of the gay Charlotte Business Guild. CBG has supported TOY through fundraisers. Janine is often there but I have noticed that she almost always stands just outside of the main room of the VanLandingham House. Half hidden, like she does not want to sit in the main area and be considered part of the group. Pictures are sometimes taken. Just my personal recollection, but it certainly fits the pattern of the article. Eustache is straight btw.

I have never believed leaders of gay organizations have to be gay. Often a straight face to the world can be helpful in pushing our goals forward because it does not seem so alien to the general public. However, in this case Eustache apparently lacks any sensitivity at all. Granted this article was one sided. These are allegations at this point and it’s only fair that Janine be able to give her side. Unfortunately, neither Eustache nor the Board answered any relevant questions sent by Qnotes. Instead they circled the wagons and accused Qnotes staff falsely of infiltrating as members to undermine the group through their newspaper. Personally, I don’t think the kids featured in this story would have come forward for no reason at all. I am familiar with people involved in TOY, not to a deep degree but they have always been aboveboard and great representatives of our community. Finally, if the Board and Eustache had nothing to hide why stonewall and refuse to answer direct questions? TOY’s mission is too important and these kids are too emotionally fragile to be abused by someone who is supposed to be their advocate. The thought of it is sickening. I hope outside pressure continues to be put on Eustache and the Board to come clean and if any of these incidents are confirmed, Eustache needs to be thrown out along with the Board members that covered for her.

The mission statement of Time Out Youth is clear: “A support, advocacy and education organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth…”

There is nothing in that mission statement that indicates there is any sort of “faith based” aspect of the organization. Attempting to sneak it in in the form of a prayer line, speakers promoting opposing religious viewpoints or any of the other “traditional” methods employed by non-affirming groups is shameful.

Furthermore the TOY web site proudly proclaims that they provide an environment that is safe and “free from judgment and condemndation” and that they choose to “…show love and support…by extending our hand in the spirit of acceptance…”

For the CEO of such an organization to feel she has one scintilla of authority to challenge the validity of anyone’s sexual orientation smacks of ignorance, intolerance and prejudice.

To forbid giving out their telephone number on a radio show during an interview where the organization was discussed and to omit the mission statement from her business card are additional causes for concern.

I certainly hope the Board of Directors will take this matter seriously and conduct a true investigation rather than a cursory one.

As a community we need to hold TOY and their board accountable. We need to make sure this matter is not swept under the rainbow carpet and into the closet.

We are not talking about just an organization here, we are talking about our youth.

Remember how it was when YOU were trying to come to terms with who you are? I certainly do and there was no such resource available to me. TOY must be preserved and, if need be, cleaned out and restaffed.